DBM says ECQ 'ayuda' to be lower than Bayanihan 1 cash aid
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said the ‘ayuda,’ or financial assistance, to be given to poor households in the “NCR Plus” bubble placed under the enhanced community quarantine this week will be lower than the previous cash aid.
DBM Sec. Wendel Avisado said during today’s televised press briefing by Malacanang that the aid will be drawn from the P23 billion unutilized funds under the Bayanihan 1 Act and will be targeted at 22.9 million low-income beneficiaries in NCR, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, or the so-called NCR Plus areas.
Poor families were previously given P5,000 to P8,000 in cash subsidy last year.
Avisado said the DBM has already forwarded a proposal to the Office of the President. The approval and final details of the aid may be released within the week.
“Options have been made available for the president to choose from,” Avisado said on the final amount and how it would be disbursed to beneficiaries.
President Rodrigo Duterte placed NCR Plus under enhanced community quarantine starting today, March 29, until April 4 to stem a growing wave of COVID-19 infections, bulk of which comes from Metro Manila. Under the ECQ, most businesses and travel have been suspended with households ordered to observe home quarantine.
Thumbnail and banner photo Boy Santos/The Philippine Star